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A ten-month-old Chinese baby has grown to weigh around 44 lbs, equivalent to a normal six-year-old child, state media has reported.

When he was born in China's southern Hunan province, Xiao Lei weighed around 7.7 lbs, just above the average weight of a newborn baby.

But thanks to a strong appetite, Xiao Lei started ballooning one month later and is now double the size of many babies at a similar age.

Xiao Lei's mother Cheng Qingyu found it difficult to hold her son in her arms like other parents, and said she had to rest every ten minutes.

But she said she was not concerned that her son, who has been branded a Michelin baby, might have eaten tainted food.

"I feed my son with my breast milk. I've never had him take any milk powder or anything that contains hormones. Why would I need to worry?" she said.

Xiao Lei is currently being treated in Hunan Children's hospital, where he is undergoing a series of medical checks to see what caused him to gain so much weight. Doctors at the hospital said his weight would most likely cause problems for his heart and blood pressure, and said he must lose weight in order to be healthy.